New York City’s political landscape was jolted this week by a bizarre and headline-grabbing incident involving a longtime ally of Mayor Eric Adams. On August 20, 2025, Winnie Greco, a former top aide and volunteer for Adams’ reelection campaign, attempted to hand a reporter a bag of potato chips concealing a red envelope stuffed with cash. The episode, which unfolded in a Harlem Whole Foods following a campaign event, has since triggered investigations by federal and city authorities, fueled online mockery, and added yet another twist to a mayoral administration already dogged by corruption allegations.
The saga began when Katie Honan, a reporter for The City, was approached by Greco near the opening of Adams’ new Harlem campaign office. According to The City, Greco texted Honan and arranged to meet across the street, eventually leading the pair into a nearby Whole Foods. There, Greco handed Honan an opened bag of Herr’s Sour Cream & Onion potato chips. Honan, thinking the bag was merely a snack, initially declined, but Greco insisted she keep it. Only later, while heading to the subway, did Honan discover a red envelope inside, containing at least one $100 bill and several $20 bills.
Startled, Honan called Greco to arrange returning the money. Greco, who said she had already left the area, suggested they meet in Chinatown. Despite several texts from Honan asking when she could return the cash, Greco offered no further response. Instead, Greco later told The City that her actions were a “mistake,” describing the gesture as a product of her culture and expressing a desire to be friends with the reporter. “Can we forget about this? I try to be a good person,” Greco pleaded, according to The City. “Please. Please. Please don’t do in the news nothing about me.”
Greco’s attorney, Steven Brill, moved quickly to defend his client, telling The New York Times and Fox News Digital that the incident was a misunderstanding rooted in cultural tradition. “This was no payoff. This was no handing over a bag of cash. This is nothing more than a gesture of kindness blown out of a Chinese tradition of handing money to others as a form of gratitude and friendship. She knows this reporter and was fond of her. It may appear strange, but there was nothing nefarious about it,” Brill insisted. He added that Greco was “apologetic and embarrassed by any negative impression or confusion this may have caused.”
The City reported the incident to the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) on August 20. The DOI, for its part, confirmed receiving the allegations but declined to comment further. Federal prosecutors soon contacted The City’s lawyers and retrieved the bag, envelope, and cash, treating the items as potential evidence in an ongoing probe.
Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign responded swiftly once the story broke. Spokesperson Todd Shapiro told The City, “We are shocked by these reports. Winnie Greco holds no position in this campaign and has been suspended from all VOLUNTEER campaign-related activities. Mayor Adams had no prior knowledge of this matter. He has always demanded the highest ethical and legal standards, and his sole focus remains on serving the people of New York City with integrity.” Adams himself has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Greco’s actions, and his campaign reiterated that Greco was not a formal staff member but a volunteer who has now been barred from further involvement.
Still, the timing and optics of the potato chip incident could hardly be worse for Adams. The mayor is seeking reelection in a fiercely competitive race, facing challenges from Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, independent and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. The campaign has been marred by a series of corruption scandals and investigations. Just one day after the chip bag episode, former chief advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin was indicted on charges of accepting more than $75,000 in bribes as part of what Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg described as “wide-ranging conspiracies.” Lewis-Martin, who had remained a campaign volunteer, was one of nine Adams allies indicted for allegedly using their positions for personal gain through gifts, kickbacks, and other means. Deputy Commissioner of Real Estate Services Jesse Hamilton and campaign supporters Gina and Tony Argento were also named in the indictments, according to Bragg’s office.
Greco herself is no stranger to law enforcement scrutiny. In February 2024, FBI agents raided her Bronx home as part of an investigation into Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign and its alleged fundraising ties to the Turkish government. Though Greco has not been charged with any crimes, she resigned from her post as the city’s director of Asian American affairs in the aftermath. Fox News Digital also reported that DOI is investigating separate claims that Greco pressured a campaign volunteer to perform personal tasks in exchange for a City Hall job.
Meanwhile, Adams has faced his own legal woes. In 2024, a federal indictment accused him of accepting illegal campaign contributions and travel discounts from a Turkish official, allegedly returning the favor by helping Turkey open a diplomatic building that had not passed fire inspections. That case was ultimately dismissed in April 2025 at the request of the Justice Department, which argued that the prosecution was interfering with Adams’ role in supporting President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
As news of the chip bag incident spread, social media users and critics took aim at Adams and his administration. Some, like Bailey Carlin of Bad Brain Digital Consulting, likened the mayor to a “cartoon character villain.” Others, including attorney George Conway, offered tongue-in-cheek commentary, with Conway quipping on X, “Just want to Lay out this word to the Wise: No ifs ands or Utz, this is crisply written and reported, but for all its saltiness it’s still just a story about small potatoes with no evidence of a chip pro quo, and no one should get too Ruffled up about it.”
Despite the jokes, the gravity of the situation is not lost on City Hall or the electorate. For many New Yorkers, the episode is emblematic of the broader cloud of suspicion that has hung over Adams’ administration. The mayor’s repeated denials of knowledge and swift moves to distance himself from Greco and other embattled allies have done little to quell concerns about the culture of ethics and accountability at the highest levels of city government.
With the November election fast approaching, Adams faces mounting pressure to restore trust and assure voters that his campaign—and administration—are committed to transparency and integrity. Whether the potato chip scandal will be remembered as a curious footnote or a symbol of deeper dysfunction may depend on the outcomes of the ongoing investigations and, ultimately, the judgment of New York City’s voters.
